On the edge of something big: Edge-city economic development in Croydon, south London

Abstract

This paper considers aspects of economic development within service-led suburban and edge-city formations and interprets their economic basis in terms of what they are able to borrow from nearby larger urban areas. It draws upon the recent experience of the London Borough of Croydon as an example of the UK's first self-proclaimed 'edge city' and traces Croydon's growth from its earlier status as a major suburban office centre to recent attempts to redefine itself as an edge city. A number of themes emerge from this history, with Croydon seeing its relationship to London in increasingly negative terms.